Portland? Oregon?

Okay, let me state the question a little bit differently, then.

How does one demonstrate that one is not a total fucking psycho?

I'm considering a move to Portland.
I'm from San Diego. I like it here but real estate is just too friggin crazy expensive.
It was already high and it's about doubled in the last four years.
Also in general i think a move to a different place would do me good to "move on"

People tend to look at me funny when I mention Portland. It's always, "It always rains. It's depressing". Actually living in San Diego I'm kind of tired of the perpetual lack of real weather. Pluses seem to be: afforadable housing, well designed city, natural surroundings.

Here are some questions:
1. how would you describe the overall vibe and atmosphere of the people?
2. what's the deal with the weather? I'm hearing conflicting reports.
I don't think cold, cloudy or rainy weather is necessarily all that bad, but not all three at once for long periods. Freezing rain does seem like it might be a drag though.
3. Anyone know how the tech jobs are doing?
There's something of a Linux connection going on there.

I'm from New York. When people talk about "rain" up here, they mean this light, grey drizzly stuff. During the last major storm I experienced in New York, the wind threw my air conditioning unit out of the wall. As I tried to put it back, the rain was coming horizontally through the hole. That's rain. I haven't seen much of that since I got here in 1999.

What they mean is: it's cloudy. You won't see the sun as much as you did in California. You are more likely to encounter someone on the beach wearing a flannel than a bikini or Speedos. For some of us, that is a welcome blessing. If you're a sun god or goddess, try Boulder, Colorado.

The housing is very affordable, depending on where you live.

1. how would you describe the overall vibe and atmosphere of the people?

Laid back. That's one of the reasons I moved here.

2. what's the deal with the weather? I'm hearing conflicting reports.

See above. We had a bad freezing rain storm earlier this year, but it was WEIRD and extraordinary. Very rare. Prior to that storm, I could count on one hand the number of days I'd seen snow, besides on Mt. Hood.

3. Anyone know how the tech jobs are doing? There's something of a Linux connection going on there.

Oregon is #50 for unemployment in the nation right now. That's #50 as in: numero uno for suckage. Washington pulled ahead, for a little while, and we dropped to #49, but we gave it the good old college try and now we're back on top.

If you're standing on your head, that is.

For tech, two years ago, something like 1 out of every 3 or 4 tech workers was out of a job. The market has lightened up since then. It partly depends on what you do: network admin? Programmer? You can email me, if you have any more specific questions. I worked at the Jones Farm campus of Intel for a couple of one-year contracts. The work is out there, but sometimes it's hard to find.

Oh, and ...

Two things we value up here are good beer, and good coffee.

I have never in my life seen so many coffee stands. And more microbrews than you can shake a stick at. Drunk or sober.

Cloudy, drizzly weather.... doesn't seem so bad.
The people are laid back... that's cool
Coffee and beer are two excellent things.

Every city has it's attitude. LA is more flaky and shallow, image conscious. The whole "hollywood" permeates. New York is a real city. The center of the world, aggressive and noisy. Stereotypes sure, but more than a kernel of truth.
So it seems Portland seems progressive and laid back, with some rural hardiness.

I've never been there actually so I really have no idea. I'd like to come up this summer for a trip to check it out.

What's are some good things to check out on a visit?
What are the good areas to live?
I'm not talking about most expensive, more like "best value" and "most character".

Few more things:
I hear Californians aren't taken to too kindly. Is it really that bad? Should I remove my license plate?

People that came to Portland and love it vs people born in Portland who can't wait to get out -- what would you guess the ratio is?

I'd recommend a visit. Before you come, post and ask for some places to visit. I'm sure you'll get some good suggestions. Drive around Portland, though, if that's where you intend to live. Drive up into the Columbia River Gorge. That is what sold me. Mt. Hood is cool. You can tell someone who has been living in Portland for more than a few years if they can point to a mountain, or several, that isn't visible because of cloud cover.

When we moved here, I did get some sidelong glances, and a few folks asked, "Are you from California?" But I don't think it's too terribly bad.

If you can live downtown, or on the hill, great. If not, I like north Portland. Good access to the city. Access to bike paths, etc. I live up near St. John, and I can talk to the river if I want.

This has all been very revealing so far. San Francisco, for me, is like my favorite t-shirt but I've been wearing it for more than a week now and I'm, like, out of laundry detergent, y'know.

Understood. And for some people, Portland feels the same way. I've met folks who have lived in Oregon their whole lives, and it has the passing familiarity of the boring and common. For me, it was a new place. I live 60 minutes from the mountains, and 90 minutes from the sea. It was 3,000 miles away from New York state - which is much different from New York City - and far away from some things I wanted to escape.

Questions about tech gigs...any leads you could front would be helpful-I went into school when the tech bubble was just bursting, when I graduated it was at the low we've all come to know and love. Just got my Associates and am going for more BS in computer science at PSU, but can't do any more school until I have a way to pay...

email me puh-lease >gripehole@comcast.net

On the weather, I have to agree-the weather here is mild. It's often damp, but completely lacking in volitile rain or snow storms.

Public transportation is ok if you're close in. If you live in the 'burbs, be prepared to wait ...and wait...
The general rule for transportation time with the public transit is add bus arrival time (15-30 minutes depending on the route) to the time it would take to get to your destination with a car and multiply by 2.

[Edited on May 05, 2004 by khz]

I grew up in Portland and feel that it's a lovely place to be. We have a down economy right now but who doesn't? The rain makes the air clean and it's amazingly green everywhere you look.

Public transportation is great here... I didn't get my license until I was 21 and that was because I had a child. I agree that it's a little harder when you live out in the burbs, but if you live near light rail then it's no problem.

I work for HP and we've got a site here in Vancouver with about 2000 employees. We also have Intel, Nike, and many more large employers if you have good job skills.

I recently visited Portland for 10 days and thought it was lovely. Conmpared to London, it was so pretty and laid back. Everybody was goodl-ooking and even the beggars on the street were better dressed than me.

If you're in the game for the money, only come this way if you already have it.

If you're in the game for love, there's plenty to go around.

Yeah, I love portland, the only problem that I can see is our abundance of fuckin hippies.

Im not really sure. Youd have to ask Ryan.
I had to sleep my way in, but maybe times have changed.

Yeah, you have to like hanging out at the airport.

portland is rad, especially if you like to get high with fun people.

Hippies are all good. I much rather prefer hippies to yuppies.
I'm in the most hippy-like community in San Diego. We had protests to keep out the single starbucks that managed to plant itself down here.

found a good info link on portland
http://www.movingtoportland.net/

There's love to be found in Portland? I thought everyone was already in a long-term relationship. At least, that was how it always seemed to me. I'm moving back in three weeks.

[Edited on May 09, 2004 by DriveLikeJehu]

tonight

Last year I took a road trip to the Portland area with a friend and I fell hopelessly in love with it. I am planning to move to Oregon next year. The only thing stopping me is finding potential work. Any advice?

It all depends on what you like and what you do...I have a good job here making alot of money now, although I was nearly homeless at one point....lots of metal here. Good strip bars here too. I guess id meet more people here if I was social, maybe even a SG...that explains why I have about 2 friends huh?

i love it here so far.